A few kilometres north of Curtea de Arges, the actual fortress of Vlad Tepes clings to a steep ridge above the Arges River gorge. This is the real thing — not Bran Castle, which has the Dracula tourism industry but no genuine Vlad connection. Poienari was Vlad's personal stronghold, rebuilt using forced labour from the Wallachian boyars who had killed his father and brother.
The climb is 1,480 steps cut into the hillside. It takes 20–30 minutes up and rewards with a ruined but atmospheric citadel and views down the gorge toward the Vidraru Dam. A section of the outer wall collapsed into the river in a 1888 landslide. The fortress is partially restored and open to visitors.